French John Mindham Private 4461921
Personnel Entry
Name French John Mindham
Army number 4461921
Rank Private.
Decorations None yet known beyond Service Awards.
Date of birth Born 1915 - Easington District.
Age At the time of his death. 88/89 yeads old.
Unit Enlisted in The Durham Light Infantry - date not yet known. Underwent Basic Training - posted to 81 Primary Training Wing 5/12/1942. Probably transferred to the East Yorkshire Regiment - though this is not specifically mentioned in the Regimental Enlistment Book. Documents to East Yorkshire 15/12/1942. Re-posted to The Durham Light Infantry 26/3/1943 and posted to the 11th Battalion. Served Normandy. Wounded. Returned to the UK. Discharged under Para 390 (xvi) of King's Regulations 1940 20/6/1945 as unfit for further Military Service - presumably as a result of his wounding in Normandy.
Company/Battery Not yet ascertained.
Platoon or other sub-unit
Task or role Not yet known but probably Rifleman and eventually probably Section Commander and possibly Platoon Sergeant.
Joined Brigade 26/3/1943.
Promotions Lance Sergeant - date not known.
Wounded Yes - Normandy - date not recorded but injuries likely lead to his medical discharge.
Prisoner of War Not as far as is known.
Died/Killed in action Date of death October 2004 at Sunderland aged 88/89.
Home address Father - Henry Smith French (1891 - 1959), mother - Emily Laing Wright (1891 - 1967). Married January 1939 Eileen Taggart (1913 - 1985).
Source table